Nakaayi bosses Akii-Bua Memorial stage

It did not hit the highest expectations. But, the 23rd Akii-Bua Memorial Invitational Championship serve significantly enough pomp to set the stage for the 100 years of athletics in Uganda.

Uganda Athletics (UA) staged a day-long event at Namboole Stadium with a new feel and spark created by the sizable audience in the terraces of the new-look facility on Saturday.

“The event was so lovely,” sprinter Shida Leni told this paper moments after she won the women’s 400-metre race.

Leni was forced to call off her race invite in Germany due yesterday to honour UA’s call up in Namboole on a day to remember John Akii-Bua, Uganda's first-ever Olympic champion.  

“It is one of the first days to have the crowd around, to have people to watch our sport and also to see great performances from our athletes both local and those we invited,” UA’s general secretary Beatrice Ayikoru said.

Thousands, unlike other athletics events, graced Namboole. That crowd included the sport’s legends like Moses Kipsiro, Dorcus Inzikuru, Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo.

 There were also National Council of Sports (NCS) officials such as chairman Ambrose Tashobya and general secretary Patrick Ogwel.

 “We’ve never had this kind of thing. That’s a reality. We’ve had this environment for other sport but not athletics. Hopefully next year, we will apply for Bronze Level (World Athletics Continental Tour),” added Ayikoru, who is a World Athletics Council Member.

Following a band parade, a 10km run and children matching on the track as well as musical performances from Ava Peace and Daxx Vibes, it is middle-distance runner Halimah Nakaayi who rocked the Akii-Bua Memorial stage most on track.

She produced a well-calculated run over two laps to win the 800-metre event and charge up the crowd, after holding off Kenyan Sarah Moraa Orobi to win in a Meeting Record time of one minute and 59.64 seconds.

“I am super happy. I thank God for today’s victory,” said the 2019 world champion Nakaayi. “Namboole being my home, I came here to win and also to inspire the young generation,” she stated.

Her statement explains why she ran with her bouquet of flowers in celebration in front of the pavilion, rallying on the audience while pointing her finger down signalling ‘this is home’.  

Nakaayi, who is bound for the Tokyo World Athletics Championships due September in Japan, pulled it off after the final bend to hold off Mary Moraa’s cousin, signalling one of the top competitive moments of the event.

At major athletics events, home talent is always prioritized and expected to charge up the crowds for example; Swede Armand Duplantis over the pole vault during Stockholm Diamond League events.

The same can be said for Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo over the 200 metres at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in Gaborone or sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala during the 100 metres of the Kip Keino Classic next door in Nairobi, Kenya.

Hence, Nakaayi delivered such. “Running in front of the home crowd, I had to give in my best to win. So it has been a tactical race. Somewhere somehow, I had to first relax a bit to make sure that I finish strong. I just had to apply the tactics,” she added.

The day’s other major winners were Leni who posted 51.62 seconds to win the lap race while Tom Dradriga warmed up for his spell in Europe win a victory over the 800 metres in 1:46.47

“It was a nice race but the rain, anyway it is always there,” said Leni. Meanwhile, Haron Adoli was denied victory in the men’s 400 metres by Kenya’s Zablon Ekwam.

Adoli, who posted a personal best mark of 45.21 seconds at the Kip Keino Classic the previous weekend, clocked 46.33 amid a downpour while Ekwam won in 45.97.

“I came so prepared, I knew I would give my best but you know the weather changed,” said Adoli. “I tried to push through, reaching 150 metres, the muscles couldn’t react anymore so it became tough for me. I am lucky that I finished the race without getting any injuries,” he added.

Each major event winner pocketed $1600 (Shs5.8m) as UA placed $5000 (Shs181.1m) for the top finishers in the top 10 events of the day.

AKII-BUA MEMORIAL 

EVENT RESULTS

MEN’S 100M

1 Meshack Babu (Kenya)                   10.38

2 Tyson Omondi (Kenya)                   10.39

3 Emmanuel Aboda (Prisons)             10.61

MEN’S 400M

1 Zablon Ekwam (Kenya)                   45.97

2 Haron Adoli (Prisons)                      46.33

3 Kenneth Omuka (Makerere Univ.)  47.56

MEN’S 400M HURDLES

1 Kennedy Onen (Prisons)                   54.96

2 Brian Onencan (UPDF)                    55.74

3 Felix Ongee Ouma (Prisons)             55.98

MEN’S 800M

1 Tom Dradriga (Prisons)                    1:46.47

2 Kokas Erimu (Prisons)                      1:46.86

3 Peter Akemkwene (Ndejje Univ.)    1:47.32

MEN’S 1500M

1 Silas Chemutai (Prisons)                   3:39.83

2 Domenic Krop (UWA)                     3:40.52

3 Jacob Sande (Police)                         3:40.91

MEN’S 5000M

1 Harbert Kibet (Bukwo)                     13:43.03

2 Samuel Simba Cherop (Police)        13:46.16

3 Sailas Rotich (Police)                        13:47.00

MEN’S LONG JUMP

1 Charles Okello (Prisons)                   7.39 metres

2 Ayup Khoak Khor (South Sudan)    7.15m

3 Denish Odongo (UPDF)                   7.14m

MEN’S SHOTPUT

1 Martin Odongo (Prisons)                 12.98 metres

2 Moses Jinaro Oceng (Prisons)           12.89m

3 Baya Odong (Police)                        12.88m

WOMEN’S 100M

1 Bridget Mbwali (UCU)                    11.91

2 Evaline Ocen Koli (Prisons)              12.17

3 Charity Mercy Atiang (UCU)           12.22

WOMEN’S 400M

1 Shida Leni (Police)                           51.62

2 Lanoline Aoko (Kenya)                    52.56

3 Mauren Banura (Police)                    53.85

WOMEN’S 800M

1 Halimah Nakaayi (UWA)                1:59.68

2 Sarah Moraa Orobi (Kenya)              1:59.94

3 Saida Tsehaye (Ethiopia)                  2:01.31

WOMEN’S 1500M

1 Scalet Chemutai (Police)                   4:12.79

2 Nancy Chepkwurui (UPDF)             4:13.55

3 Felister Chekwemoi (Police)             4:19.33

WOMEN’S 5000M

1 Charity Cherop (Police)                    15:18.82

2 Esther Chebet (Prisons)                    15:28.82

3 Bentalin Yeko (Police)                      15:36.30

WOMEN’S JAVELIN

1 Josephine Lalam (Police)                  49.07 metres

2 Victoria Awidi (Prisons)                   43.59m

3 Winnifred Atimango (UCU)            42.01m

WOMEN’S DISCUS THROW

1 Kevin Prisca Anena (UCU)              35.85 metres

2 Rosemary Aciro (Prisons)                 33.73m

3 Catherine Alanyo (Prisons)               33.01m

WOMEN’S LONG JUMP

1 Sharon Amarorwot (Gulu Univ.)     5.72 metres

2 Gladys Alobo (Prisons)                    5.58m

3 Scovia Apiyo Lamwaka (Prisons)    5.50m